The Heart Of Gaming – Second Visit

 

 

Last weekend I made another long overdue visit to The Heart Of Gaming.

 

The arcade has a nice selection of fighters and a tournament was in full swing.
 

 

 

Other games include Daytona USA, Donkey Kong, Ikaruga, Pac-Man, Strikers 1945 Part II, The House of the Dead and Time Crisis II.  The arcade also features dance machines and a room dedicated to console gaming.
 

 

For me though it was all about this game.
 

 

SegaSonic the Hedgehog is a three player isometric platform game, developed by AM3 and released in 1993 on Sega System 32 hardware.  The game had a very limited UK release, appearing only in Sega branded arcades, including Trocedero and Hamleys toy shop basement arcade.  However I never came across a machine and this became one of my biggest gaming regrets.  There has never been a home console conversion due to the trackball control.  When I heard that The HoG were getting the game I had to come and visit!  Electrocoin bowling arcade machines have been used, allowing each player to have their own screen.  The game is great fun, with impressive visuals and nice variety between stages.  Here is a one credit video of the game.
 

Arcade Club – Second Visit

 

Whilst holidaying up North at Todber Valley, Lancashire, we made our second visit to Arcade Club.  Once again we had an awesome time and it was great seeing some new additions to the arcade.

Here are some of my gaming highlights.

After Burner DLX

On my last visit the cabinet movement wasn’t working, but on this occasion it was fully operational.  A very cool cab and a great gaming experience, although it was a little bit of a squeeze getting inside the cockpit!

Chase H.Q. 2

An awesome new addition, this game is loads of fun.  This time I made it to the fourth stage, pursuing a truck which had the advantage of a huge missile launcher on its trailer.  It was nice to see the game proving popular with the arcade goers. 

Flicky

 

The first time I’ve seen / played this fun and addictive Sega game from 1984.

Hot Rod

This was again a firm favourite, with my daughter still humming the tune weeks later!

 

S.T.U.N. Runner

Released by Atari in 1989, I don’t recall seeing this futuristic racer / shooter before.  Like Hard Drivin’ released the same year, Atari was well ahead of its time with polygon graphics.  Very cool cab and great fun.

 

Virtua Fighter

 

Developed by AM2 and released in 1993 on Model 1 hardware, Virtua Fighter is important in gaming history as the first 3-D fighter.  Whereas Sega’s Model 2 games can still be found in arcades, Model 1 games have all but disappeared.  The last Model 1 game I saw was Virtua Racing at The TonTon Club, Amsterdam.  I love the distinctive look of Model 1 powered graphics and the stylish polygon characters.

 

There was an awesome line up in the Electrocoin cabinets, including Pac-Land, Kung-Fu Master, Golden Axe, Ghouls’N Ghosts and Final Fight.

A video and some more pics of Arcade Club.  Arcade Club gets pretty busy, especially on Saturday night, and the video was recorded just before closing time on Sunday.

Timewarp Arcade

Timewarp Arcade is a new arcade in Bridgwater, Somerset. 

The arcade has a great selection of games, including some awesome titles I haven’t seen / played for a long time.

Here are some of my gaming highlights.

Aliens

I remember credit feeding this to completion with a friend down the seafront one Saturday afternoon.  Not a gaming accomplishment to be proud of, but great fun!

OutRunners

 

 

I was really happy to see OutRunners.  Developed by AM2 and released in 1992, I remember playing it at Leisureland, Great Yarmouth.  There are eight vehicles to choose from, but I tend to stick with the trusty red Ferrari Testarossa (it wouldn’t be OutRun without it!). 

 

This time your racing across the world.  The stages are impressive, some of my favourites being Japan, complete with cherry blossoms, temples and Mount Fuji, and weaving between trams on the Hong Kong night stage.

The ‘Sega Sound System’ serves as your car radio.  I really like the remixed versions of Passing Breeze, Splash Wave and Magical Sound Shower, very cool.

Whilst it never reached the same levels of popularity as the original, OutRunners is loads of fun and an awesome update.

Prop Cycle

Another title I enjoyed back in the day and haven’t seen for years.  Great fun and a good work out as well!

X-Men

Konami’s Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles and The Simpsons proved extremely popular and were in all the arcades, but X-Men remained pretty elusive.  I guess back in the mid nineties X-Men didn’t have the same market appeal in Europe, or perhaps scrolling beat-em-ups had started to lose their appeal?  I only recall playing it at the arcade at Gatwick airport, and the cabinet was the awesome six player dual screen version.  Gatwick arcade was awesome with some seldom seen games, including Sega’s Wing War and Hologram Time Traveller.

Game over man!  Game Over!

Clearly the owner is a big fan of the xenomorphs.

Alien ³ The Gun is a recent addition to the arcade and is awaiting repair work.  Hopefully it will be up and running on my next visit. 

 

Shoot-em-up fans are well catered for, with Last Resort, Raiden Fighters and R-Type.

 

There is one entry price and all the machines are on free-play.  I had an awesome time revisiting some old classics. 

A video of Timewarp Arcade.